This Woman Reveals What It Really Means to Follow Your Dreams

Genius AmandaMay 12, 2017

You’ve heard it before: an unfulfilled worker quits her day job to follow her dreams. It might make for a great social media story, but the real-life version of following your dreams isn’t always so pretty. The reality of quitting your job to do something risky can have many ups and downs. That’s why Jayme Moye decided to share her story — including all the ugly parts. Even though she admits that she’s not #blessed, her story may still inspire you to start following your dreams too!

Pursuing Passion, Bliss, and Risk

Jayme Moye was working in technology and making a six-figure salary. But unlike her colleagues, she felt like she wasn’t truly invested in her job. She longed for something more.

While continuing to work full-time, Jayme did some exploring to find her passion. She taught yoga, joined a dance troupe, and even coached a road bike race team. After trying different activities, she realized that it was writing that made her truly happy.

Starting Slow

Jayme’s story continues at a much slower pace than a movie or slideshow. She started by doing research to find out if it was even possible to make enough money as a freelance writer to live. She found that she would have to put in 3-5 years of hard work at a low salary to build her reputation as a writer.

It would be competitive and require a lot of extra work. And from there, there were no guarantees. This is a perfect example of how following your dreams doesn’t mean changing your whole life overnight!

Night Owl

Jayme continued working her day job and writing at night. Just as she expected, she didn’t get a lot of work at first. In the first year, she wrote six stories for four different magazines and earned only $1,525. But she continued to push along the less-than-glamorous path, committed to her goal. She even used her vacation time to attend a magazine writing conference!

The Dramatic Leap

Even though she wasn’t making a ton of money, Jayme had a burning passion. The tables turned when she landed an unpaid internship at a local magazine. To make it work, she and her then-husband sold their house and downsized to a condo to reduce their mortgage.

Her company was going through a round of layoffs, and she requested to be laid off in order to get six months of severance. It still wasn’t much, but she needed the time to focus on her new path.

Uphill Path To Success

Jayme didn’t create a fantastic new career overnight. It required a lot of sacrifices and uncertainty. In her first year as a full-time magazine writer, she pulled in only $13,000. It took her two years to start breaking into bigger magazines, and eventually, her income jumped to about $30,000.

As Jayme became more established and respected as a writer, she landed better jobs. Over time, her income doubled! Now, she lives a comfortable lifestyle doing the work that she feels passionate about.

The Ups and Downs to Following Your Dreams

Following your dreams can’t help you avoid the unexpected parts of life. Jayme and her husband drifted apart during her career shift, and they divorced. She has had to sacrifice saving for retirement while trying to make ends meet and paying for her own healthcare.

And unlike her previous job, Jayme’s new life as a writer requires her to work seven days a week. But despite the challenges, Jayme says it’s all been worth it. “I care so much more, and for me, that’s what matters most.”